The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-05
STEALING a GYPSY GIRL.
Story Told by Traveller at Mime
sofa Country Tavern.

SOFA country IaVern.
Ell Wakemon in the Pittsbuy Dispatch
His card read Hard Case, --- street,
Chicago, Financial Agent" His business
was collecting lightning rod notes. He had
escaped few lynchingS, had been accom-
panied out of outraged farming communi-
ties by large crowds of excited followers on
10 end of occasions; he rather enjoyed the
hatred of men, and we were delighted to
find a charming vein of sentiment under
meath the stony surface of his calling
Speaking Of that chap with the basket
of gewgaws, who's been playing you fell
lows for a gypsy, he's no gypsy,
but he reminds me of a little scrape
] came near getting into up here
about twenty years ago l accident
ally met an old school friend at the Mer-
chants Hotel, st. Paul; one of your no-ac-
count. wandering chaps, always poking into
odd things and pulling his friends into
trouble after him. He'd somehow got
among the gypsies; got stuck on a girl
ne called Belinda, or Orlenda, or some other
Epruceg gum name, down in camp at Silver
Greek, near Watseka, ILL., The band made
it mighty hot for him, gave him the slip
one night, and he'd been chasing them
cussed gypsies over three years. The girl
was as dead set after him as he after her
and he'd got nearly murdered two or three
times for trying to get her away from hel
sibe. He had just learned that the crowd
were encamped up near Glenwood, near
Lake Whipple, named for Bishop Whipple,
down at Faribault, and what he
wanted was for me to go out there
whether or no. just made up my mind
TO let my business go to thunder and dc
1t. We got out to Benson on the Brecken-
ridge branch of the Manitoba road, along
In the middle of the day some time He
wouldn't say much, but he was pale and
quiet and the fact is the further l got the
more knew he'd get the girl or never leave
minnesota alive. AT Benson we got three
horses, one with just q. blanket and sur
ringle, which he led, and started out, and
by ) or 6 o'clock we left the old stage road
to Glenwood and Alexandria and struck to
ward the lake, finding fine camping place
Cor the night.
1.-The gypsies, who had brought lot of
horses into the State and We're dickerine
about, We're camped across the lake, a
couple of miles below Glenwood, in perfect
est of a spot, and we could see their camp
fires plainly across the head of the lake, not
over mile distant, and the gypsies them
selves-there must have been twenty OF
thirty men, women and children-movine
about among the wagons and tents The
only thing we accomplished that night waS
that my friend prowled around the camp
got little talk with the girl, and arranged
for the escapade the next night, while
stole good large canoe down at GlenwooC
and got it back to camp. The next evening
about 9 cock, we struck out across the
lake, an found landing place under big
Eastwood tree that had fallen out into the
water 1t gave protection and afforded {
good point to push out from quickly il
necessary. My part was simply to hold the
canoe in readiness for my friend and hi
sweetheart.
He left in a quiet, determined way
merely saying that he would be back with
the girl soon or never come back at all.
could see him occasionally by the light OF
the camp fires, gliding along stealthily
Then lost sight OF him, and couldn't heir
feeling more anxious than ever before in my
life. The camp was so near that the laughter
and chatter We're constantly heard, and oc-
cassionally a song came with them. II
seemed an age to wait Every minute was
an hour. ] never was SO terribly nervous,
and worried i'll my life. [ had almost de
terInined to try TO scuil the canoe alongside
the camp, and break the suspense some
way. when there was sudden rush, and
rustling above me, and like whirlwind the
two swept down the bank, over the fallen
tree and plunged into the canoe.
For Gods sake, Case, let her lie fat in
the canoe. You lie fat down on her Give
me the paddle. They're after u.s. Sure
enough they were. We steadied the canoe,
and he gave it push which shot it far out
into the lake just as a devil of a gypsy
clambered down the log and yelled out
something i'll gypsy jargOn at us. Too late.
He bounded back toward camp, which was
all astir, and men, women and children
were rushing up and down the shore like
mad. | laid quiet, the girl trembling be-
meath me. | heard big racket among the
horses in camp, whnnylng and scattering,
and felt my poet friend working like a
beaver with the paddle We're gomez he
gasped, redoubling his work | looked up
then, having just heard a great splash in
the lake, and saw through the light from
the fires across the water, a young gypsy
on horse without halter or bride, pushing
toward us and rapidly overtaking us.
"fhere wasn't word said. The girl and
myself laid there like two dead people; he
made the old canoe tremble and culver as
he drove it ahead; we could hear the snort
ing of the swimming horses and the gypses
on shore yelling themselves hoarse in en-
couraging the pursuer. | knew from the
actions of my friend that his strength was
failing, and that our escape was impossible
The young fellow, notwithstanding his VIC
lent efforts, was so pale he was blue. Pretty
soon he began taking quick tacks in either
anu COulu neal bltS NJ OttuhiiiA vi
the horse at points where he had barely es
capped. Suddenly felt that the canoe hac
resumed a certain direction and could heal
the sure approach of the pursuer
In a moment more | heard, it seemed
alongside of us, the gypsy say sternly
Stop, or Ill kill ye, but the canoe
kept straight on. The next moment | coulC
feel he was upon III. III an instant my
friend rose from his knees. and quicker THAI
thought the paddle whizzed over my heaC
and struck something with a crashing
sound. | attempted to rise, but he pushed
me back. Then / could hear the hors'
splash about as if riderless, and soon, will
awhinnying piteOus to me, il seemed tn:
poor animal had put about for camp as il
trumpeting the sad news before HIM. In I
few moments we gained our camp, mounted
our horses the Gypsy girl riding withou
saddle, most deftly and gracefully, and ii
two hours we had reached the railroad hote
at Benson. The next night we were safely
in St Paul. They lett for the East, husband
and wife, the next morning, and that no
account fellow is a New York Episcopa
clergyman to-dayW ..., t-.-,.-.